Gov. Maggie Hassan has signed a law making New Hampshire the 19th state to allow seriously ill residents to use marijuana to treat their illnesses.

"Well I think it's very important to allow physicians to provide relief to their patients with appropriately regulated and dispensed marijuana. I think it's the compassionate and right thing to do," Hassan said.

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The law allows patients with cancer and other conditions to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana obtained from dispensaries.

Up to four dispensaries can be licensed and have a maximum of 80 marijuana plants, 160 seedlings and 80 ounces of marijuana or 6 ounces per qualifying patient.

But Matt Simon of the Marijuana Policy Project said those dispensaries may not be around for a while.

"The problem is that it will take probably two years or more before they're able to open. The Department of Health and Human Services has 18 months before it even has to register these entities to grow and distribute marijuana to patients," Simon said.

There are still those who oppose legalized medical marijuana. Enfield Police Chief Richard Crate worries the drug will fall into the wrong hands.

"We're calling marijuana medicine and we've seen an increase in marijuana use in teenagers," Crate said.

But supports like Simon said medical marijuana is about helping people living with cancer, Aids, and other illnesses and offering them a little relief.

"The patients whom I'm most concerned about are those who are unable to maintain a healthy weight, and who know that medical marijuana would stimulate their appetites," Simon said.

The law took effect with her signature Tuesday but getting the program operating could take up to two years. The bill calls for a commission to be appointed as soon as possible to implement the new system.

To qualify for medical marijuana, New Hampshire residents would have to have been a patient of the prescribing doctors for at least 90 days and have tried other remedies.